VOA常速英语2015--美元硬币联盟希望硬币取代纸币节省开支（在线收听）

美元硬币联盟希望硬币取代纸币节省开支

American likes paper dollars,but Jim Kolbe, co-chairman of the Dollar Coin Alliance, thinks switching to the coin is worth it.

大多数美国人对纸币情有独钟，而唯独“美元硬币联盟”的联合主席吉姆·柯尔比认为换用硬币是值得的。

“The coin does cost more to produce, roughly on the neighborhood of 17 cents versus the 5 or 6 cents that a paper dollar costs to produce.However, the coin lasts 35 years, and it's made of mostly recycled metals, and the paper has to be produced from new materials, and we shred 3 billion of those every year because they wear out.”

“硬币的铸造成本确实要高一些，相比5至6美分纸币的成本，大约需要17美分。但是，这样的硬币可以使用35年，而且主要是用可回收的金属制成。但纸币却需要新材料才能制造，而且因为纸币损耗我们每年要废掉30亿美元。”

For years, the former Arizona congressman has been pushing legislation that would prop up the dollar coin by phasing out the greenback — a move that has met resistance from both politicians and the public. But today, he said, the climate has changed, and a recent poll indicates 61 percent of Americans like the idea.

这位前亚利桑那州国会众议员多年来一直推行用硬币逐步取代纸币的立法遭到政界人士和公众反对。但现如今柯尔比表示情形已截然不同。最近的一次民调显示61%的美国人赞同这个想法。

“When they learn of the savings that can be involved with this,will support the idea of substituting the coin for the paper dollar.”

“当他们了解到这样可以节省很多钱时就会支持硬币取代纸币的提议。”

Kolbe points to a study by the Government Accountability Office, which investigates how the government spends taxpayer dollars. The GAO estimates taxpayers would save more than 4 billion over 30 years, and that figure could be much higher.That appeals to taxpayer Christy Thompson, “Actually,I'd probably say, yes, we need to do it.”

柯尔比提到了主要对政府花费纳税人钱进行调查的美国政府问责办公室的一项研究。该办公室估计30年间纳税人会节省40亿美元，而且这个数字可能还会更大。这对纳税人克里斯蒂·汤普森来说很有吸引力。“实际上我可能会说，是的，我们应该这样做。”

But plenty of people aren't convinced, including Kim Doering of Alexandria, Virginia.

但很多人仍然心存疑虑。弗吉尼亚州亚历山大的金姆·多林就是其中之一。

“It's easier to carry the paper bill than a bunch of coins. They're louder; they're heavier in your pocket.”

“带张纸币肯定比带一摞硬币要方便的多，而且它们太响了，放在口袋里太沉。”

Washington, D.C. restaurant owner Sue Fouladi doesn't like the idea of having more dollar coins in her cash register.

而华盛顿这家餐馆的老板苏·弗拉迪不喜欢自己的收银台里满是硬币的这个点子。

"It's very inconvenient.If I don't have a choice, then I'll do it, but I'll be a very unhappy person.”

“太不方便了。如果我别无选择，我会用的，但是我会非常不开心。”

Adding to the problem is that the gold-and silver-colored metal coins are about the same size as the 25-cent quarter. Robert Blecker, an economics professor at American University in Washington, says the dollar coins need to be different.

而且该问题更令人头痛的是这种金色和银色的金属硬币和25美分硬币的大小差不多。华盛顿美国大学经济学教授罗伯特·布莱克尔表示硬币应该在大小上下功夫。

“And if we can design a dollar coin that's not so big and bulky, probably Americans would like it better.”

“如果我们可以设计出不那么大，也不是很笨重的硬币，也许会很讨喜。

But that doesn't bother college student Emily Sturgill.

但大学生艾米莉·斯特吉尔认为现在的硬币没什么不好。

“Sometimes they fit into your pocket easily and you don't have to worry about them slipping out, like a dollar would if you brought your keys or your phone out.”

“有时候，很容易就将它们放进口袋，而且掏钥匙或拿手机的时候，也不用担心硬币像纸币那样被带出来。

Both Kolbe and Blecker agree that widespread usage won't happen easily.

柯尔比和布莱克尔都认为硬币不会很快广泛普及。

"We will never give up the bill until it's abolished and we have no choice but to use the coins."

“我们绝不会放弃纸币，除非不造纸币了。那样，我们没别的选择只能选择硬币。”

That's what happened in other countries, like Canada, Blecker said, where the public now takes one-and two-dollar coins for granted. He thinks the American public would get used to the U.S. dollar coin.

加拿大等其他国家也是这样的情况，布莱克尔表示那些地方的人民认为现在花1,2元硬币是理所当然的。而且他认为美国民众最终会习惯使用美元硬币。

"I guess I would, but I wouldn't like it at first," said Doering. Thompson is more optimistic: “If we were just circulating the dollar coins, you would get used to it.”

“我想我会接受的，但一开始我不会喜欢。”克里斯蒂·汤普森却更加乐观：“如果我们这里只流通硬币，你会习惯的。”

But stacks of the coins are piled in government vaults, instead of in American pockets.

不过，现在的情况却是成堆的硬币躺在政府国库，而非美国人的口袋里。